5 ms·

Considering YC only started in 2005, it is too early to say how many "made it", the definition of which is ambiguous in the first place. This spreadsheet has a

by pwim 17y ago

Considering YC only started in 2005, it is too early to say how many "made it", the definition of which is ambiguous in the first place. This spreadsheet has a list of YC companies along with whether or not they are dead or have exited: http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AkkhSN3vaY4jdF90b1l1Vnl5NmZjaTBNQWlJYVozMEE&hl=en http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AkkhSN3vaY4jdF90b1l1...

olalonde 17y ago
Great list. Surprisingly, I hadn't even heard of YC's most successful exit (Divvyshot, acquired by Facebook at 20M$).
- apphacker 17y ago
  Interesting that you would call it the most successful, given that the general consensus on tech blogs (whatever that's worth) is that it was a talent acquisition/distress sale. I think the founder's statement came across as an unhappy ending (not what he envisioned, but that could have just been the way I read into it). It was a pretty cool interface for a photo site but unfortunately the most memorable thing I knew about the company was the drama with that teen from techcrunch trying to have the Divvyshot founder buy him a Mac to get favorable coverage on Techcrunch.com I'm about to start work as a new employee at a YC alumni, hopefully we'll do better!
  - _delirium 17y ago
    Well, as an investment, that's somewhere around a 50-100x exit for YC, if their investment in it was roughly along the same lines as the terms they currently offer. And the founders didn't do too badly either, walking away with $millions. I mean, they sold for more than Reddit!
    - jacquesm 17y ago
      That figure has not been verified.
    - medianama 17y ago
      How do you know?
      - _delirium 17y ago
        Just computed from the reported $20m exit, and the typical investment sizes / equity proportion that YC typically does. (I have no particular knowledge of whether the $20m figure is accurate or not.)
- qq66 17y ago
  How sure are you of that $20m number? It sounds high.
  - olalonde 17y ago
    Not sure at all... I took it from the spreadsheet.
    - jedc 17y ago
      I'm the guy who keeps/maintains the spreadsheet. ALL of the exit values (except 1 or 2) are my personal estimates and educated guesses... nothing more. I'm always happy to revise them with better information!
      - tptacek 17y ago
        Why did you guess $20MM for Divvyshot?
        jedc 17y ago
        Honestly, I can't remember. But more than happy to change it with better (or for that matter... any) reasoning!
        tptacek 17y ago
        All of your exit numbers seem crazy high. I'm left wondering if it's just wishful thinking, or if I'm way underestimating how much companies will shell out in talent acquisitions.
        jedc 17y ago
        One number that I know for sure (it was publicized at the time) is Omnisio for $15 million. At that point it was about six months or so into the life of the company, which seems crazy high to me. TechStars at least publicizes whether the exits are > or < $2million, which can be a helpful guide...

by pwim 17y ago

olalonde 17y ago

Great list. Surprisingly, I hadn't even heard of YC's most successful exit (Divvyshot, acquired by Facebook at 20M$).

apphacker 17y ago
Interesting that you would call it the most successful, given that the general consensus on tech blogs (whatever that's worth) is that it was a talent acquisition/distress sale. I think the founder's statement came across as an unhappy ending (not what he envisioned, but that could have just been the way I read into it). It was a pretty cool interface for a photo site but unfortunately the most memorable thing I knew about the company was the drama with that teen from techcrunch trying to have the Divvyshot founder buy him a Mac to get favorable coverage on Techcrunch.com I'm about to start work as a new employee at a YC alumni, hopefully we'll do better!
- _delirium 17y ago
  Well, as an investment, that's somewhere around a 50-100x exit for YC, if their investment in it was roughly along the same lines as the terms they currently offer. And the founders didn't do too badly either, walking away with $millions. I mean, they sold for more than Reddit!
  - jacquesm 17y ago
    That figure has not been verified.
  - medianama 17y ago
    How do you know?
    - _delirium 17y ago
      Just computed from the reported $20m exit, and the typical investment sizes / equity proportion that YC typically does. (I have no particular knowledge of whether the $20m figure is accurate or not.)
qq66 17y ago
How sure are you of that $20m number? It sounds high.
- olalonde 17y ago
  Not sure at all... I took it from the spreadsheet.
  - jedc 17y ago
    I'm the guy who keeps/maintains the spreadsheet. ALL of the exit values (except 1 or 2) are my personal estimates and educated guesses... nothing more. I'm always happy to revise them with better information!
    - tptacek 17y ago
      Why did you guess $20MM for Divvyshot?
      - jedc 17y ago
        Honestly, I can't remember. But more than happy to change it with better (or for that matter... any) reasoning!
        tptacek 17y ago
        All of your exit numbers seem crazy high. I'm left wondering if it's just wishful thinking, or if I'm way underestimating how much companies will shell out in talent acquisitions.
        jedc 17y ago
        One number that I know for sure (it was publicized at the time) is Omnisio for $15 million. At that point it was about six months or so into the life of the company, which seems crazy high to me. TechStars at least publicizes whether the exits are > or < $2million, which can be a helpful guide...